Wagon-pole attachment



(No Model.

E. HOXIE. WAGON POLE ATTAOHMENT.

} No. 577,578. Patented Feb. 23, 1,897;

WITNESSES I .7V` VEJV TOR ELIAS HOXIE, OF RED CREEK, NEW YORK.

WAGON-POLE ATTACHMENT.

SFECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,578, dated February 23, 1897. Application filed November 25,1896. Serial No. 613,394. (No model.)

TO all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIAS HOXIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Red Creek, in thecounty of Wayne and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in YVagon-Pole Attachments; and'I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to attachments for the poles of wagons, oarriages, and various wheeled implemente, such as are used on farms,the device being useful equally on mowers,reapers,cultivators, and various other machines adapted to be drawn by horse-power.

The object of the invention is to provide means whereby the distance between the end of the pole or tongue and the connection of the whiffietree With the vtongue or pole may be varied to avoid the necessity for taking up or letting out the tugs or traces each time the draft-animals are transferred from one carriage or implement to another.

XVith the above object in View the invention consists in an attachment for tongues or poles embodying certain novel features and details of construction, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the improved attachment applied to a wagon-pole and the manner in which it supports the whiffietree. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the base or main body of the device which attaehes permanently to the pole. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective View of the hammer-strap. Fig. 4 is a similar view of the bolt,showing the reversible lock-plate for preventing the escape of said bolt. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view showing the manner in which the bolt is held in place.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts inthe several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the main body or base of the improved attachment, Which is of oblong form and provided adjacent'to one end with a longitudinal series of openings 2, spaeed any desired distance apart, according to the amount of adjustment desired to im part to the whiffletree. This plate or base is provided adjacent to its rear portion and on its upper side with spaced parallel longitudinal flanges 3, which are connected by a series of cross pins or bolts 4:, corresponding in number to the openings 2 and spaced apart a distance equal to the space between the holes 2. This plate or base is secured to the upper side of the tongue or pole of the Wagon, carriage,or Wheeled implement, as the case may be.

5 designates the hammer-strap, Which consists of a strip of metal, the rear end of Which is turned downwardly and recurved to form a hook 6, which is adapted to engage with any one of the pins 4:. The strap 5 is provided just in advance of the hook 6 with a depending st ud 7, forminga stop, which is adapted to strike against one of the pins 4 for preventin g the displacement of the strap when the other end of the pole or tongue is elevated and the whiffletree-bolt removed. The strap 5 is provided at its forward end With a vertical opening 8, which is adapted to lie immediately over one or the other of the openings 2 in the plate or base 1.

9 designates a bolt provided at its upper end with a head 10, the said bolt being adapted to be inserted through the opening 8 and through one of the openings 2, and also through the opening in the center of the Whiffietree 11. The bolt 9, adjacent to its lower end, is cut away or recessed on one side, and mounted in said recess is a looking device consisting of a metal plate 12, pivotally connected intermediate its ends to said bolt and provided at one end With a laterally-projecting lip 13.

The lip 13 is of segmental or rounded form as to its projecting edge, and the recess in the bolt 9 is made tapering or is deepest at its lower end, so that when the plate 12 is turned in such a manner as to bring the lip 13 at the lower end of the bolt said lip will project laterally from the bolt just enough to compensate for that portion of the bolt which was cut away to form the recess in which the plate 12 is mounted. In other words, the lip 13 lies within the normal plane of the outer surface of the bolt, so as to enable said bolt to be removed from the openings 2 and 8. When, however, the looking-plate is reversed so as to bring the lip 13 uppermost, said lip ICO projects beyond the normal surface of the bolt and strikes against the under side of the pole or tongue 1, thereby preventing the accidental displacement of said bolt.

By means of the construction above described it will be seen that the bolt 9 may be removed from the opening 2, and, together with the strap, adjusted to any other opening, so as to bring the whiffletree at the desired distance from the front end of the pole or tongue. This obviates the necessity for lengthening or shortening the tugs or traces each time the team is transferred from one vehicle or farming implement to another.

Having' thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The herein-described attachment, comprisin g a plate or base having a series of openings therein and also provided with a corresponding series of cross-pins, a strap provided at one end witl a hook for engaging one of said pins and at its opposite'end with an opening, and a bolt removably fitted in the opening of the strap and also in one of the openings of the plate or base, substantially as described.

2. The herein-described attachment, comprising a plate or base provided at one end with a longitudinal series of openings and at its opposite end with a longitudinal series of cross-pins, a strap provided at one end with a hook for engaging with one of said pins and at its opposite end with an opening, and a bolt passing through the openingin said strap and also through one of the openings in said plate or base, substantially as described.

3. The herein-described attachment, consisting of an oblong plate provided at one end With a longitudinal series of openings and at its opposite end with spaoed parallel flanges connected by cross-pins arranged in a longitudinal series, a hammer-strap having one end hooked to engage any one of said pins and provided at its opposite end with an opening, and a bolt passed through the opening in said strap and also through one of the openings in said plate or base, substantially as described.

4. The herein-described attachment, consisting of an oblong plate provided adjacent to one end with a series of holes and at its opposite end With a eorresponding series of cross-pins, a strap provided at one end with a hook for engaging said pins and at its opposite end with an opening, a bolt removably fitted in the opening in the strap and in one of the openings in the base, and a stop on said strap coperatin g with said pin, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The combination with a stationary base or plate and the adjustable hammer-strap, both provided with openings as described, of a bolt reinovably inserted through said openin gs, and a reversible lock-plate connected to the lower end of said bolt and adapted to abut against the under side of said base, substantially as and for -the purpose described.

6. A bolt for the purpose described provided at one end with a head and adjaeent to the other end with a tapering recess at one side, and a lock-plate pivotally connected intermediate its ends to said bolt and lying in said tapering recess, said lock-plate being provided at one end with a laterally-projectin g lip adapted in one position of the plate to lie within the normal plane of the bolt and in its reversed position to project beyond the normal plane of the bolt, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony Whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribin g witnesses.

ELIAS I-IOXE.

WVitnesses:

W. G. PI-IIPPIN, C. O. PETERSON. 

